This Rival of Mine
by Dasx10
Summary: Being the Champion can be boring, at least Calem thinks so. Maybe all it takes is a certain honey-haired rival to change his mind.


**So, I made this for the heck of it because I wanted to do something about Pokémon X/Y before Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire came out. Kind of like a goodbye, if you will. This takes place post-game, after the Looker quest, with Calem as the player character. Hey, if people like it, maybe I'll do one in Serena's perspective. Might be fun. Prepare yourself for the cheesiness of my teenage mind.**

* * *

"Thanks for your help! Your job performance today was perfect! I heard the manager praised your work, too," the woman spoke, handing him a neat stack of Pokédollars as she smiled, flashing her rows of pearly-white teeth. "Here's today's compensation."

Calem gave her a courteous nod and a sheepish smile, gripping the brim of his crimson cap. "Thanks a lot," he said, accepting the payment. He briskly stuffed the money into the pocket of his jeans, turning to walk towards the exit of the hotel, adjusting the strap of the black messenger bag on his right shoulder with his thumb.

"Thank you. See you next time."

The boy turned back, flashed another friendly smile and waved at her as he neared the doorway. Pressing a palm against the cool steel handle, he pushed his way out into the busy streets of Lumiose City, feeling the hot blaze of the sun upon his face. Right in front of him, he could spot Prism Tower in the distance, trees lining the path towards the colossal titan of steel and glass. There was a distinct flashing near the top of the steel construction. It was probably another one of Clemont's inventions. Who knew what the bespectacled boy was up to this time?

 _It's strangely sunny today,_ he thought, unzipping his navy blue jacket to reveal the white t-shirt underneath. Stretching his arms, he couldn't help but wonder what he'd do for the rest of the day. When he dreamt of being the Champion, he never thought he would be spending hours of a day, alone in a small room to, awaiting challengers. Simply put, being the Champion was boring.

He was lucky that everyone in Lumiose City moved about in a hurry. He didn't have to disguise himself in public to avoid the paparazzi. Maybe that was one of the reasons why he frequented the busy streets so often.

Calem placed a hand on his chin, rubbing it thoughtfully. Maybe he'd head to the Looker Bureau to check on how Emma was doing. Calem pulled back the sleeve of his jacket to take a quick look at his watch. 9:05. Good, it wasn't too late. He could head to the Galette Stand and pick up some snacks for her. Last time, bringing her some brought a joyful gleam in her eyes as she devoured them voraciously with Mimi.

He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans casually as he walked along the pavement of the streets, casually taking his time. It wasn't every day he got to take things at his own pace.

Admiring the scenery of the familiar bustling city, he couldn't help but feel a little lonely, the edges of his mouth curving into a small frown. It was strange – to be lonely when there were so many people around you. The last time he, Trevor, Tierno, Shauna and Serena were all together in the same place was during that parade, though it was almost a month ago.

Still intending to complete the Pokédex, Trevor was currently in another region with Professor Sycamore whereas his friend, Tierno, was trying to put together his Pokémon dance team in time for some sort of competition he was participating in. Shauna was probably spending time with her family. The bubbly girl had mentioned something about settling down for a bit the last time they had spoken. As for Serena, he wasn't quite sure where she was, though he was almost certain that she was training.

The thought of her comforted him, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Nobody else challenged him the way she did. He was lucky enough that he managed to pull off a win from their last battle, though a strange sense of guilt overwhelmed him when the look of disappointment washed over the face of the honey-haired girl.

Even though he would never tell her, there was a small part of him that really enjoyed Serena's company, especially when it was just the two of them together. The fiery passion that burned in her eyes was contagious, mesmerizing him like a Mothim to a flame. It hurt him to extinguish it every time she challenged him, even though he knew she would never let him go easy on her. The worst was when he acquired the Mega Ring that was now fastened on his wrist – it felt as if he had crushed the poor girl's dreams. He was only able to breathe a sigh of relief when she revealed that she acquired a Mega Ring of her own.

Despite what people believed, she was the one who wanted to go after Team Flare. He only followed, anxious for her safety. It was unfair, he thought, that he was getting most of the credit as the savior of Kalos, even if he was the one to tame the legendary Pokémon.

Serena didn't even complain or anything of the sort. In the end, his rival was actually _happy_ for him, clapping and cheering the loudest when he was presented with that medal. He doubted he would have felt the same if their roles were reversed. She was just too modest. And amiable. And caring. And warm. And… and…

He paused, gazing wide-eyed at his right foot placed in front of his left, the smile from his face fading as it melted into sudden realization.

And _beautiful._

Calem lifted the crimson cap from his head to run his fingers through his dark hair with his free hand before resting it behind his neck. Biting his lip, he felt the heat rising to his cheeks as he continued walking on, his body getting lighter with each step.

 _And graceful. And talented. And intelligent._

One by one, memories of his honey-haired rival danced through his mind as he approached the small stand, absent-mindedly ordering a dozen of their reputable treats. The woman handed him a large paper bag and he grasped into the pocket of his jeans to push a small wad of bills towards her.

"Keep the change," he muttered, turning to walk away as he replayed several moments with her in his mind, hidden feelings at that time becoming clear to him now. It was as if every moment with her was shrouded in darkness until now.

It was her smile that lit up the darkest rooms in the corners of his mind, motivating him to pull through even the darkest of days. It was the concerned look she gave him that left him breathless and speechless, stammering like an idiot to respond. She was the person that left his heart pounding as if it were to burst out of his chest and bring him to deep breaths to look like a Magikarp. The way the sunlight struck the honey-brown hair that framed her face so perfectly kept his breath stuck in his throat as he felt his hands go clammy and knees get weak, her sweet voice ringing dancing through his mind like water.

He would gladly give his life to drown in it.

God, he would give anything just to see her one more time. As cheesy as it sounded, just hearing her voice could brighten the rest of the day for him.

"What do you mean you're 'all out'?"

Calem snapped his head upwards as the voice pierced through the air, ringing in his mind like a faint bell. He turned back, hearing his heart pounding loudly against his chest, a deep rumbling sound that felt deafening in his ears.

There she was, arms crossed and staring defiantly at the woman at the Galette Stand, her weight placed upon one leg.

"I'm so sorry, miss," the woman was saying, not that he was paying much attention, anyway. "I just sold off our entire last batch a while ago."

"Who's selfish enough to buy a whole batch for himself?" At this, Calem guiltily stared at the bag that weighed at his hands, the shape of its contents bulkily protruding at the brown paper.

"That young man, over there." She was pointing at him now. Serena's eyes widened as she glanced his figure before breaking into a run. For the briefest of moments, he felt his heart get caught in his throat.

"CALEM!" she greeted, jumping to lock her arms tightly behind his neck as she collided into him. The pink bag on her shoulder pushed into his chest as she rested her chin on his right shoulder, knocking the sunglasses that rested on his crimson cap to the ground, where they clattered noisily, not that he noticed. The smell of lavender in her hair assaulted his senses, leaving him stupefied. The boy's face flushed a deep shade of red as he attempted to figure out what to do with his arms. He broke out of his daze to raise his free hand to awkwardly pat the small of her back slowly.

"It's good to see you too, Serena," he mumbled, attempting to keep his cool. He mentally slapped himself when he felt his voice crack at her name. God, why did he have to be so weird around her? She didn't seem to notice.

"Whoops," she chuckled as she broke the hug, bending over to pick his pair of sunglasses off the ground to place it neatly back onto his cap the way he always liked. "How have you been?" she asked. "I haven't seen you in _forever._ Did you grow taller? And what are you doing with so many Galletes?" At this, she eyes the bag in his hand curiously.

He felt a lump developed in his throat. She was right, he had grown taller. Swallowing nervously, he stammered. "Ah, yes. I… they're… uh… they're for Emma," he managed, mentally slapping himself again. He was usually a boy of few words but this was ridiculous. Facing Lysandre alone was _way_ easier than this.

The girl didn't seem to notice. "Emma? Who's Emma?" she asked curiously, her head cocking ever so slightly to one side where her honey-blond ponytail swished over to brush against her bare shoulder.

"Emma is uh... Y'know what? I think it's best that you meet her yourself." He gave her his 'Champion grin' in an attempt to look confident. The boy could have sworn a wistful look had flashed over her pretty features, though he could have imagined it.

"Sure, why not," she exclaimed. "It's my day off from training and you owe me, anyway, for buying all those Galletes." She quickly linked one of her arms with his, hugging it close, making Calem feel more self-conscious than he has ever felt in his life. Maybe he should have dressed better today. He had never wanted to visit that fancy boutique _so_ bad.

"Where are we heading?" she asked cheerfully, flashing him a cheeky grin, making his chest feel tight.

"Looker Bureau," he answered, returning the smile shyly. "Ah, right." He dug a hand into the paper bag to pull out a Gallete, handing it to the girl at his arm. She accepted it with a grateful smile, giving it a small nibble at the edge. He wondered how she could be so adorable and yet be the most mature person he knew.

He reached for the Poké ball of his Charizard when Serena pressed her hand against his forearm, shaking her head.

"No," she urged, smiling warmly at him. "Let's walk there. I want this to take time. We have some catching up to do."

So, they walked, arm in arm, along North Boulevard, getting swarmed by the busy crowds and occasional traffic. It was chaotic, though Calem couldn't think of anywhere else he would rather be. He already had the route memorized, guiding her through the confusing city, much to Serena's amusement.

"So, do you spend most of your time in Lumiose?" she asked curiously as her eyes darted between the rooftops of the colossal buildings that reached the sky.

"Well, not most, but quite a bit," he answered dryly. He hoped that he wouldn't sound too boring. That was the last thing he wanted. "Mostly, it's just to see Emma."

"Mhmm…"

His mind raced to think of what to say to fill in the silence. Why was he panicking? He had never been much of a conversationalist. Finally, he settled on, "Uh, are you hungry?"

 _What was that? Of course she's not. It's 9am, Calem. She's smart enough to remember to eat breakfast. You should have went with the weather._

The girl bit her lip at the question, placing a hand upon her flat stomach before looking at him guiltily. "A little," she muttered.

He almost cheered out loud. "Then, let's get something to eat." He grinned. "I know this great place. It's near where we're going."

"Sounds great."

"Perfect. It's right over there." He motioned into to a nearby café. It was nice and quaint, unlike the city it resided in. Before long, they were drinking coffee in a small booth, reminiscing about the past and detailing what each other had been up to.

"So, what's it like?" she asked, slicing into her chocolate cake with her fork.

"What's what like?"

"Oh, you know." She gave him a funny look as she used the fork to play around with her food absentmindedly before spearing it. "Being the Champion."

Calem gazed out the window, watching a taxi zoom past, an azure blur among dull shades of gray. "It's… something."

"Something?" she mumbled, the fork resting at the corner of her mouth.

"Can I level with you?" he asked, wrapping his hands around his mug, staring into the brown liquid. The girl nodded. "I don't think it's what I dreamt it would be."

"What do you mean?" Serena looked at him questioningly, almost as if in disbelief. "I mean, you get to hang out with _the_ Elite Four. And don't get me started on the fame. I think I lost count on how many magazine covers and TV shows I saw you on."

He chuckled nervously. "The lack of privacy has a way of getting to you. I got swarmed the last time I went home. And I think Malva hates my guts."

"The reporter? Really?"

"No. Actually, I _know_ she hates my guts. I think Siebold does, too. It might have something to do with that thing he asked me a while back. Something about battles and art."

"What did you say _this_ time?" she asked playfully, grinning. Calem forced a laugh, shrugging.

"I don't really remember. I'm not a philosophical person, so I just gave it a guess. Wikstrom is a little weird. He's _really_ enthusiastic about stuff like valor, honor, chivalry…"

"What about Drasna? She looks nice."

"Yeah, but when the friendliest of them is the one who specializes in Dragons, you know there's something wrong," he pointed out.

Serena lifted her fingers to her lips as she chuckled, causing Calem to flush a deep red. He quickly downed the rest of his coffee with one hand, ignoring the burn at his tongue as he tapped his fingers on the table nervously.

"This is really nice, Calem," the girl said as she finished her cake, letting the fork clatter on the plate. Slowly, she placed her fingers atop his hand, sending an electrical current along his arm. "I'm really glad I ran into you."

"I'm really enjoying myself, too," he answered back nervously, feeling his face heat up. The skin contact was unbearable, making sweat run down the back of his neck even though it was freezing in there. "I should really get these to Emma," he blurted nervously, changing the topic as he motioned towards the paper bag at the edge of the table.

There was a hurt look in Serena's eyes for a moment but it quickly faded when she stood from her chair, exclaiming, "Of course, let's get going."

They made their way out the restaurant and towards Looker Bureau, Serena cheerfully allowing him to guide her along to where Calem twisted the doorknob, allowing her inside. "Ladies first," he said lamely as he motioned inside.

She giggled, giving him a curtsy with her vermilion skirt before making her way inside. He nervously stumbled in after her, shutting the heavy mahogany door behind him. Turning, he saw Serena sitting on one of the couches patiently, patting the spot beside her to motion for him.

Calem took a quick glance around the office. Emma wasn't around so he quickly dropped the paper bag on her table before taking his place next to her, pulling his cap and sunglasses off to toss them on the coffee table in front of them. The way the sunlight shone through the window and hit her seemed to cover her skin in a warm glow, her eyes staring at him intently.

"This… Emma… sounds like a great girl," she said, suddenly looking away to avoid his gaze.

"Yeah, she's great," he mentioned, rubbing a hand on his shoulder.

"I can see why you like her."

Something in him panicked. "I don't!" he insisted. "You've got it all wrong. Emma's like a sister to me." He looked at her hopefully, trying to read her expression. It was now or never. "But, I guess you can say there is someone."

Serena glanced back at him, hurt. Her voice was weak, quivering with dread. "Well, you're the Champion, Calem. You can basically have anyone you want-"

He cut her off, gripping her shoulders softly to pull her in to press his lips onto hers for but a second.

 _Shit._

Realizing what he was doing, Calem released her and pulled back abruptly, avoiding the bewildered expression on her face. "Désolé! I'm sorry," he apologized. "There is someone I… I really like you, Serena. A lot more than a friend and-"

He was caught off guard when she gripped the collar of his jacket. He shut his eyes tightly, expecting to get hit and was surprised when she pressed her soft lips back on his vehemently. This kiss was more drawn out, allowing him to savor the moment that they shared. Her lips were soft and sweet and tasted of strawberries, exactly as how he imagined them. Feeling one of her hands running through his hair playfully, he shut his eyes and let his hands make their way to her waist, allowing his other senses to take over. The other one of her hands cradled his face tenderly, tracing the line of his jaw with her thumb.

Slowly, she broke the kiss, resting her forehead against his as she gasped for air, her breath hot against his lips. The faint blush that crept its way across her cheeks matched the one on his. He stared softly into her steely-blue eyes, speechless, expecting her to say something. Serena opened her mouth to speak when a small squeak came from behind them.

Snapping his head back, Calem saw Emma behind her desk, still dressed in her Essentia suit, sans the helmet. Her feet were kicked up onto the heavy mahogany table as she chewed a Gallete in her hand thoroughly. The other hand rested behind her head, a smirk resting on her young features. Mimi, her Espurr, had her head inside the paper bag that remained on the table, squeaking in excitement.

"Hey, there," Emma greeted cheerfully with a wave of the snack in her hand. "Don't mind us. Just carry on like we're not here."

"Emma!" Calem shot up from the couch, his eyes darting around. "Uh, this isn't… we were just…"

"I'm not a little kid, Calem," she laughed. Emma finished off the Galette in her hand and stood up, picking Mimi and the paper bag to cradle in her arms before heading for the door. "Just tell me when you lovebirds are done," she called with a chuckle as she headed out. "I really want to meet that girl."

"So that was Emma," Calem heard Serena say. He sat back beside her, eyes still glued at the door in case she was to return. Slowly, Serena rested her head upon his shoulder, her hair tickling his cheek. The smell of her lavender shampoo that filled his nostrils snapped him back to reality like a bolt of lightning.

"That was Emma," he confirmed, intertwining their fingers. Her hand was smooth and soft, as if she barely travelled.

"I like her already," she chuckled before letting out a dreamy sigh, shutting her eyes. "Je t'aime, Calem."

He smiled, leaning back to wrap an arm around her shoulders to pull her closer to him, allowing her to nuzzle her face into his chest as he pecked her lightly on the forehead. "Je t'aime aussi, Serena."

Maybe being the Champion wasn't so bad, after all.


End file.
